Cast & creator
Karl Swenson
Best known for Perry Mason, Perry Mason, Perry Mason
Karl Swenson (July 23, 1908 – October 8, 1978) was an American theatre, radio, film, and television actor. Swenson is remembered for his role as the doomsayer in the diner in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963) and as the voice of Merlin in Disney's The Sword in the Stone (1963). On television, he had numerous credits in guest roles on various shows, especially Westerns, including episodes of Bonanza, The Virginian, and Gunsmoke. He had a major recurring role as Walnut Grove founder Lars Hanson on Little House on the Prairie (1974 - 1978). Swenson also had roles in The Prize (1963), Major Dundee (1965), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), The Cincinnati Kid (1965), Seconds (1966), Hour of the Gun (1967), ...tick...tick...tick... (1970), The Wild Country (1970), Vanishing Point (1971) and Ulzana's Raid (1972). Born in Brooklyn, New York of Swedish parentage, he originally planned to be a doctor and studied at Marietta College before pursuing acting. Swenson appeared extensively on the radio from the 1930s through the 1950s. He entered the film industry in 1943 with two wartime documentary shorts, December 7 and The Sikorsky Helicopter. Swenson was married to actress Joan Tompkins. He died of a heart attack at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, Connecticut on October 8, 1978, shortly after filming the Little House on the Prairie episode in which his character dies. The episode aired on October 16, 1978, eight days after Swenson's death. He was interred at Center Cemetery in New Milford, Connecticut.
Also known as: Peter Wayne
40
film credits
109
television credits
149
1935–1995 · acting roles
6.7
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (149)
Showing 149 of 149 credits
Perry Mason
Axel Norstaad
1957Perry Mason
Corley Ketchum
1957Perry Mason
Charles Norman
1957Perry Mason
Unk Hazekian
1957
Bonanza
Carl Harris
1959
Hawaii Five-O
Abel Morgan
1969
The Andy Griffith Show
Mr. McBeevee
1960
The Fugitive
Axel Nielsen - Service station owner
1963The Fugitive
Morgan
1963
Maverick
Captain Nares
1957Maverick
Sheriff Griffin
1957Maverick
General Josiah Warren
1957
Little House on the Prairie
Lars Hanson
1974
Ironside
Vet
1967
Mission: Impossible
Colonel Dubov
1966Mission: Impossible
Dr. Ziegler
1966
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
The Rifleman
Chris Manse
1958
Cannon
1971
Lassie
1954
Happy Days
1974
Dr. Kildare
Judge
1961
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
George Sherston
1962
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
The Virginian
Col. Theodore Roosevelt
1962The Virginian
Karl Swenson
1962The Virginian
Ben Wallace
1962
Emergency!
Gus
1972
Hogan's Heroes
Dr. Karl Svenson
1965
Ben Casey
1961
Rawhide
1959
The Big Valley
Bert Hadley
1965The Big Valley
Aaron Moyers
1965The Big Valley
Steve Minter
1965
Leave It to Beaver
George Haskell
1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Lee Willis
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Lud Greening
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Will Harmon
1956
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Col. Harper
1964
Gunsmoke
Hank Luz
1955Gunsmoke
Raff
1955Gunsmoke
Hutch
1955Gunsmoke
Adam
1955Gunsmoke
Tabe
1955Gunsmoke
Ian McGovern
1955Gunsmoke
Lars Karlgren
1955Gunsmoke
McGruder
1955Gunsmoke
Mr. Hubert
1955
The Odd Couple
Captain Potter
1970
Bat Masterson
Jim Pate
1958
Hawaiian Eye
1959
77 Sunset Strip
195877 Sunset Strip
Marty Kline
1958
The Texan
1958
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Ed Holland
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presents
John
1955
Surfside 6
1960
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
Bronco
1958
Judd, for the Defense
1967
The Mod Squad
1968
Sugarfoot
Andy Burke
1957Sugarfoot
Bill Manning
1957Sugarfoot
Alexi Sharlokov
1957Sugarfoot
Dennis O'Hara
1957
The Rebel
Lew Bussey
1959
Trackdown
1957
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Van Kemp
1958
Mr. Novak
Mr. Haskell
1963
Outlaws
1960
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
Andre Rochambeau
1956
Tarzan
1966
Lock-Up
1959
Riverboat
Ansel Torgin
1959
Ghost Story
Ed Barnes
1972
Black Saddle
Dr. Wyle
1959
Sam Benedict
1962Sam Benedict
Barney Rosvalley
1962Sam Benedict
Barney Rossvalley
1962
Mr. Lucky
1959
Tightrope
Brahn
1959
Cimarron Strip
1967Cimarron Strip
Dr. Kihlgren
1967
The Rat Patrol
Colonel Seidner
1966Portia Faces Life
1954
The Dakotas
1963
The Wonderful World of Disney
Laredo Marshal (uncredited)
1954The Greatest Show on Earth
Louis
1963
Johnny Ringo
Kramer
1959
The Lieutenant
1963Profiles in Courage
Chynoweth
1964CBS Playhouse
Dr. Keller
1966
The Outcasts
1968
The Birds
Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar
1963
Hong Kong
John Olwine
1960
The Sword in the Stone
Merlin (voice)
1963
The Walter Winchell File
1957
General Electric True
1962
The Amazing Spider-Man
1978Playwrights '56
1955
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
Coley Bishop
1963
The Bill Dana Show
1963
The Immortal
1970
How the West Was Won
Train Conductor (uncredited)
1962
Judgment at Nuremberg
Heinrich Geuter
1961
The Westerner
Ben Potts
1960
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Humpty Dumpty
1951
The Young Rebels
1970
Doc Elliot
1973
Vanishing Point
Clerk
1971The Court of Last Resort
1957
Seconds
Dr. Morris
1966
The Sons of Katie Elder
Doc Isdell
1965
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Asmussen
1951
Major Dundee
Captain Waller
1965
Klondike
Judge Frank Weinstock
1960
Ulzana's Raid
Rukeyser
1972
Hour of the Gun
Dr. Charles Goodfellow
1967
Lonely are the Brave
Rev. Hoskins
1962
The Cincinnati Kid
Mr. Rudd
1965
North to Alaska
Lars Nordqvist
1960
Flaming Star
Dred Pierce
1960
Walk on the Wild Side
Schmidt
1962
The Hanging Tree
Tom Flaunce
1959
No Name on the Bullet
Stricker
1959
The Prize
Hilding
1963
The Spiral Road
Insp. Bevers
1962
The Gun and the Pulpit
Adams
1974
Disney's Greatest Villains
Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
1977
A Howling in the Woods
Apperson
1971
Kings Go Forth
The Colonel
1958
One Foot in Hell
Sheriff Ole Olson
1960
The Wild Country
Jensen
1970
The Gallant Hours
Bill Bailey
1960
Four Boys and a Gun
Mr. Badek
1957
Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
(voice) (archive footage)
1995
Disney's Halloween Treat
Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
1982
The Man from Galveston
Sheriff
1963
December 7th
Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
1943
Ice Palace
Scotty Ballantyne
1960
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Dr. Keller
1967
… tick… tick… tick…
Frank Braddock Sr.
1970
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
1990
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Theodore Roosevelt
1966
Alice in Wonderland
Humpty Dumpty
1955
Gateways to the Mind
Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)
1958
The New Healers
Mr. Fisherman
1972
Strangers All
Protester at Communist Meeting
1935